Penn State Baseball’s Conor Larkin Selected by Toronto Blue Jays in MLB Draft

Penn State baseball’s Conor Larkin is going pro.

The right-handed pitcher was selected in the ninth round by the Toronto Blue Jays with the No. 272 pick in the 2021 MLB Draft on Monday.

He’s the first Penn State baseball player to be drafted this year, and the first since 2019, largely due to the shortened 2020 draft. However, Penn State football and baseball Class of 2021 prospect Lonnie White Jr. heard his name called earlier today when the Pittsburgh Pirates took him with the No. 64 overall pick.

Larkin pitched four seasons with the Nittany Lions since arriving in Happy Valley back in 2018. Over that span, he appeared in 50 games, including 23 starts, and pitched to a 4.26 ERA in 171 innings. Additionally, he totaled 191 strikeouts during his Penn State career.

His best two seasons came during 2019 and the shortened 2020 season when he pitched to a 3.14 and 1.69 ERA, respectively.

Penn State baseball head coach Rob Cooper is excited to see what Larkin can do in the professional ranks.

“We are extremely excited for Conor to get the opportunity to chase his professional dream,” Cooper said in a statement. “His competitiveness and work ethic, combined with his strong stuff, will serve him well as he climbs the ladder of professional baseball.”